Method of controlling operations of a book binding machine

ABSTRACT

A series of printed sheet, which together constitute a bookblock segment are advanced in a predetermined path. The sheets are scanned for a triggering characteristic which is present only once in the series, and upon detection of this characteristic a control signal is originated.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,804,404 Bosshard Apr. 16, 1974 [54]METHOD OF CONTROLLING OPERATIONS 3,652,828 3/ 1972 Sather et a1 235/61.61 X ()F A B BINDING M ACHINE 3,520,404 7/1970 Pine 209/ I 1 1.7 X3,021,950 2/1962 Quinn et a1. 209/1117 X [75] Inventor: Fritz Bosshard,Kaltenbach,

Switzerland [73] Assignee: Martini Primary ExaminerEvon C. BlunikBuchbindereima hi f b ik Ag, Assistant Examiner-Bruce I-I. Stoner, Jr.

F f ld, S i l d Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker [22] Filed:Dec. 13, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 190,454

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 271/57, 250/219 D, 270/58 [51] Int. Cl B65h7/02 A series of printed s which t g constitute a [58] Field of Search235/61.6 J, 61.11 E; book-block gmen r vanc in a prede ermined 270/58;93/93 C, 93 M, 93 R; 271/57, 64, path. The sheets are scanned for atriggering charac- 47; 250/219 D, 219 DC; 209/ 1 1 1.7; 112/130 teristicwhich is present only once in the series, and

upon detection of this characteristic a control signal is [56] vReferences Cited originated.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,302,539 2/1967 Moffet 93/93 R 3 Claims, 4Drawing Figures METHOD OF CONTROLLING OPERATIONS OF A BOOK BINDINGMACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relatesgenerally to the art of book binding, and more particularly to a methodof controlling the operations of a book binding machine.

In book binding machines, in which a series of sheets are connected bythreads, staples or the like to form one section of a book block withthe sections subsequently being united to form the book block itself,automatic operation is not only known but very important in terms ofmanufacturing economy. In such automatically operating machines, it isalready known to provide a program control unit which controls andinitiates the various operations of the machine in the appropriatesequence and at the appropriate time. This includes, for instance, theadvancing of the gauze, the application of adhesive to the first andlast sheets in aseries, and the severing of the thread or threads ifsuch are used for connecting the sheets by stitching. The programcontrol device is in turn acted upon by a counter which is advancedmechanically every time it detects a sheet of the series and whichsupplies a signal initiating the operation of the program control deviceafter the number of sheets which together constitute the series has beencounted.

This method of controlling the operations of a book binding machine has,however, the disadvantage that if an error occurs that is, if forinstance a sheet in the series is missing, all book block sections willcontinue to be bound with this error incorporated until such time as thedifferential is detected and remedial action taken by an operator.

The problem has of course been realized before, and an attempt has beenmade to overcome it. Thus, German allowed US. Pat. application DAS No.1,536,452 proposes the electronic scanning of the respective first orlast sheet of a series and to use the signals derived for directlyinitiating the operation of a program control device. This proposal hasthe advantage that only a single book block can incorporate an errorbefore the conditions leading to the error are rectified. In addition,it omits the use of a counter and thusmakes the construction simpler andless expensive, aside from the fact that operation is more reliable.

That proposal however, has its own disadvantage, namely the fact thatsuitable markings must be provided on the first or last sheets in orderto be detected on electronic scanning, because otherwise no signal wouldbe derived.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a general object of the present inventionto further simplify the controlling of the operations of a book bindingmachine.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to providean improved method of effecting such control, in that the necessity ,forproviding special markings on one or more sheets of a series of a bookblock is unnecessary.

In pursuance of the above objects and of others which will becomeapparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a method ofcontrolling the operations of a book binding machine which, brieflystated, comprises the steps of successively advancing a series ofprinted sheets which together constitute a book-block segment in apredetermined path. The

sheets are scanned for a triggering characteristic which is present onlyonce in the series, and a control signal is initiated in response todetection of such characteristic.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic viewillustrating the principle of operation of the present method accordingto one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a further embodiment;

F IG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating another embodiment; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating still an additionalembodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before entering into a detaileddescription of the drawing, it should be emphasized that no attempt hasbeen made to show or describe in this disclosure the technical means bywhich the present invention that is the novel method can be carried out.Such means are completely within the skill of those conversant with theart, utilizing only devices and components which are conventionally usedin this field, for such purposes, for instance, in the aforementionedUS; Pat. No. DAS 1536,425. Even absent the specific disclosure of thetechnical components involved, however, the present invention will beentirely clear to those having ordinary skill in the art and there isnot thought to be any possibility of misunderstanding or lack ofunderstanding, those having skill in the art being well able to practicethe present method from the disclosure herein.

With the above comments in mind, and discussing firstly FIG. 1, it willbe seen that reference numeral 1 identifies a printed sheet, the outeror exposed side of which is provided with printing 2. The printing 2leaves an unprinted area 3. Sheet 1 is one sheet of a series whichtogether make up a section of a book block, or a book block as such. Ifon the other sheets of the series, the area 3 (which on the illustratedsheet is not printed) is in fact, printed over, then the unprinted area3 of the illustrated sheet can be utilized as the triggeringcharacteristic whichinitiates or triggers an impulse or signal forinitiating the program. control device of a book binding machine.

I have diagrammatically illustrated a detector D for scanning the sheetsto detect. the area 3, for instance such a detector D can be in form ofa light source with an associated photoelectric cell, which are wellknown to those skilled in the art and which will of course be locatedalong the path of movement of the sheet (see the directional arrow)which is identified with reference numeral 4, upstream of the operatingstation or stations, whose operation is to be controlled by a signalderived upon detection of the area.

In the event that the area 3 is unprinted on two or more sheets of abook block or a book block segment, then the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and3 may be utilized.

Thus, FIG. 2 shows that for instance three consecutive sheets 6, 7 and 8may each be provided on the side being scanned with an unprinted area 5,5', or 5", respectively. This means that these three unprinted areasconstitute the characteristic which is scanned and is used fortriggering the desired impulse, and of course each of the sheets 6, 7and 8 carries a part of this characteristic. Again, a light source andphotoelectric relay are utilized, being identified diagrammatically as adetector D. Here, however, a known relay arrangement is associated withthe detector D and will supply an impulse to the machine or machinecomponent to be controlled only after the detector D has supplied threesignals, one upon detecting the area 5", one upon detecting the area 5,and one upon detecting the area 5. After receiving the third of theseimpulses, the relay arrangement R supplies the triggering impulse. Thepath of movement, in which the detector D is located, is identified withreference numeral 9.

In the FIG. 3 embodiment it is assumed that two successive sheets 10 and11 are each provided with an unprinted area 12 and 13, respectively. If,now, on the sides of these sheets which are subjected to scanning,

the areas 12 and 13 are present more than once, then these areas alonecannot constitute the triggering characteristic. However, if the areas12 and 13 are each present only once on each of two successive sheets 11and 12 (as illustrated in FIG. 3) then they can be utilized for thepurposes of the present invention. However, if they are not located atidentical positions on the respective sheets, as shown, then it isnecessary to pro vide two ofthe detectors D of one which will be locatedon the line 14, and the other on the line 15 so that each can detect therespectively associated area 12 and 13, respectively. The detectors areidentified with reference numerals D' and D" respectively.

Coming, finally to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, it will be seenthat here is shown a printed sheet 16 which has both a printed area 17and an unprinted area 18. If this dual characteristic is provided on theside of the sheet 16 which is to be scanned, only once, then two of thephotoelectric detectors D and D" (located on the line 19) can beutilized so that they will simultaneously scann the sheets. On detectingthe areas 17 and 18 on the sheet 16, the impulse for controlling thebook binding machine is initiated when the one detector detects the area17 and the other detector detects the area 18.

Ifa book block includes in the series of sheets one or more sheets whichhave a format different from those of the others, then mechanical orpneumatic detectors may also be used, for example in place of thephotoelectric detectors for detecting the triggering characteristicwhich, of course, here is the differential format. Also, if thecharacteristic is in form of one or more printed areas, then they can ofcourse be printed with any desired color or combinations of colors.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofapplications, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in amethod of controlling the operations of a book binding machine, it isnot intended to be limited to the details shown since variousmodifications and structural changes may be made without departing inany way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting features thatfrom the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired'to be protected by Letters Patent isset forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of controlling operations of a bookbinding machine,comprising the steps of advancing a series of printed sheets whichtogether constitute a book-block segment, in a predetermined path;scanning said sheets for a triggering characteristic which is presentonly once in the series but is provided in part on at least twosuccessive ones of said sheets; and initiating a control signal inresponse to detection of all parts of said triggering characteristic.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said parts on the respectivesheets are similar to one another.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said parts onthe respectivesheets are dissimilar from one another.

1. A method of controlling operations of a book-binding machine,comprising the steps of advancing a series of printed sheets whichtogether constitute a book-block segment, in a predetermined path;scanning said sheets for a triggering characteristiC which is presentonly once in the series but is provided in part on at least twosuccessive ones of said sheets; and initiating a control signal inresponse to detection of all parts of said triggering characteristic. 2.A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said parts on the respectivesheets are similar to one another.
 3. A method as defined in claim 1,wherein said parts on the respective sheets are dissimilar from oneanother.